In Grassy Pastures

 

A little reminiscent of the Midwest, these grassy pastures are a stark contrast to the mesquite and cactus plants. 

The colors are soft and earthy,

And they can glimmer in the sunlight.

Makes for a nice drive, heading back to Laguna Vista from Brownsville.

From the Midwest to the Southwest

Today I took a much-needed drive to see my chiropractor. On the way home, I stopped along the road to catch a few pictures of these quiet rural scenes that make me think of Nebraska. It seems like everywhere I look, I see gnarly trees and cacti, which have their own rustic charm. But I tend to forget that once upon a time Texas was known for being cattle country - something I shouldn't be able to forget, since I am forever watching old Western TV shows. 

There's something so subtle and peaceful about seeing unmown grasses, not touched by man or machine. My favorite colors are the colors of nature - the soft golden colors, the beiges, the browns, the greens. If I wear these colors a lot (and I do), it's because I love them so - although they look much better on the vast lay of the land than they do on me. 

I also saw something not at all familiar to me, but it was so striking that I couldn't help but notice, even though I caught only a glimpse when I first passed by. As I backed up the car to see if I could get a picture, I fully expected it to have flown away as the car crept backward. I didn't get a good picture, but here it is. I knew it was some kind of an eagle, but I had to Google lens it to know what kind. I'd like you to meet the striking cara-cara Mexican eagle! I hope I seen another, when I can get a better shot. 

The Monday Morning Bleus

Lately, I can't get enough of bleu cheese, so when I had to go walking around while I was getting my power steering hose replaced on my car, I was enticed to order this bleu cheese burger from the Burger Shack, my latest restaurant try in the South Padre Island/Port Isabel area. It was well worth it. I am not a fan of French fries - I would have asked to switch them out if I had thought of it - but they were actually very, very good. This yummy meal made my wait go by much faster. 

Just a few days ago, I had a salmon salad with bleu cheese dressing and crumbles, and I still can't get enough. Mmmm . . . 

Texas Winter/Nebraska Winter

 

I haven't been painting much lately, but I decided to work on a little something - A palm tree to celebrate the last few days of winter sunshine, and a snowman to show my appreciation for the snowy Nebraska and Washington winters (from a distance). I hope my kids and grandkids are having fun in the snow. I keep pinching myself because I can't believe it's almost 80 in December. 

Making Gnocchi Out of Nothing at All

 

A while back, I made gnocchi from scratch, boiling the potatoes to mix with the egg and flour, and I did like it a lot. I had read that, in a pinch, gnocchi can also be made from leftover mashed potatoes, and since I had some, I decided to give it a go. I mixed an egg with the leftover potatoes and kneaded in some flour, and then I settled down to watch The Big Valley while sitting on the couch with several gnocchi snakes, ready to cut into little pillows. The result? Several servings of gnocchi from an egg, some flour, and leftovers. 




But did the gnocchi measure up to that I made completely from scratch - I mean, start to finish, just potatoes, egg, flour, and salt? Well, to be honest, while this was still very good, the first batch tasted better. This batch did have a mashed potato taste that the first batch didn't have. Still good, and I'm enjoying my soup - which I was in such a hurry to eat that I neglected to get a picture. But it looks just like the last batch, so if the picture looks familiar, that's why. 

Andy Bowie Park Upgrade?

 

From my post of November 15, I guess it's clear that, while I have been impressed with most things on the island and in the entire Rio Grande Valley, I wasn't very impressed with Andy Bowie "Park." Well, I thought I might see if I could dress it up a little by making my first composite photograph - basically, taking parts of two or more photos and combining them to get a new one. I'm no pro at this - not yet, anyway - but I'm fairly pleased with how it turned out. 

Bacon to Perfection!

I have been way overdoing the fruit here, thanks to all that ruby red Texas grapefruit and the mangoes and oranges and all. I'm afraid I have myself way out of whack. Too much potassium really does a number on me. Time to balance things out with a high sodium treat - bacon, cooked to perfection! And for me, nothing pairs better with bacon than some good old potato pancakes. I don't eat very early in the day, but this makes a nice lunch too. Yum. 

 I like to slow-cook the bacon to get it only slightly crispy, with the fat not crisped away, but not rubbery either. My potato pancakes (or latkes) are simple grated potatoes and salt with an egg whisked in, fried up in a little oil or bacon grease. Can't get much easier than that. My go-to meal on many sluggish days. 

One Aloe Becomes Three

My one big aloe finally became three, as I suddenly got the motivation for replanting. I like using fresh aloe vera gel on my skin, but don't think of it regularly enough. 

Aloe vera gel is reportedly great for sunburns and as a moisturizer. There are also a lot of medicinal uses cited for the gel and juice, though its taste is a little prohibitive for my liking. Also, as it does interfere with some medications and can cause electrolyte imbalances and other problems in sensitive individuals, I would proceed with caution when it comes to ingesting the fresh stuff. There is a lot of information out there about the benefits and risks of aloe vera, and I intend to get more familiar with it. But mostly, I just love having it around. 

A Lovely Start to a Lovely Day

With morning lows back in the 70's, I thought it a perfect time to catch the sunrise on the Jetties, and I was right. I got to catch sight of a ship crossing the sun and to catch the first fishermen of the morning. I wanted a photo of the ship right where it was, without anyone on the Jetty, so I did my second composite photo. When I took my photo with just a few fishermen way in the background, the ship had not yet caught up with the sun, so I combined two pictures together to get what I wanted. 

A little bit later, I was able to catch a few more fishermen from a distance right as they were crossing the morning sun. Of course, as always, there had to be a string of seagulls lined up to welcome the rising sun. Beautiful morning on South Padre Island. 

A Jetties Sunrise

 

What a beautiful sunrise here at the Jetties! I've never seen it down here, as it is a couple miles to walk down here from the nearest public access. I would say my park pass just paid for itself by allowing me to drive right here through the park access. 

Another Stunning Sunset

 

I have enjoyed seeing the sunset from the Jetties since getting my park pass. I know I could just access the beach from further up, but late in the day, I don't know if I could make it back after walking all that way down. I leave my diligent walking for early in the day. 

I had an inkling that tonight's sunset just might be very pretty, with the wispy clouds and all. When I went over tonight, the loop was open, after a few months of resurfacing, so I walked along that approach to the beach and was able to get a little different perspective than I have had before. Very nice, indeed. 

I'm not sure how many sunsets I will be able to catch during the remainder of "winter." I have health issues that are triggered by cold, and both early mornings and evenings are getting to be a challenge. But if I can't get out a lot, this one could last me a while. 

An Orange-Colored Sky

I have not been going to the island to walk in the glow of a beautiful sunrise. It's just been a bit too chilly for me. But this morning, while watering my plants, I got a peek of an orange glow over the rooftops across the street, donned my jacket, and drove the six blocks to the park, just in time to catch this beautiful sunrise with the silhouetted buildings of the island lining the horizon. Made my day. 

 Later on, I decided to repot that big aloe that I got a few weeks ago, and when I removed the pot from the planter I had it setting in, I was surprised by this little lizard and a bright orange-colored butterfly (not alive) as well. Must be a day for orange.

In My Own Little Corner, On My Own Little Couch

 

If you go back to the beginning of my blog, you may figure out that I moved here to try to improve my health, as I have a condition (Periodic Paralysis) that is triggered by the cold. Granted, the 50's and 60's are certainly a step up from Nebraska winters, as far as cold temps, but, unfortunately, I am still experiencing a return of my attacks since the cold fronts have moved in, even if the temps don't dip as low as they do in Nebraska. For me, that usually means a lot more time on the couch and a lot more time spent watching some of my old movies favorites - like the old Rodgers and Hammerstein "Cinderella," starring Leslie Ann Warren and (sigh) Stuart Damon.

There's something comforting about watching movies from my childhood when I'm not feeling well. It's certainly not those dazzling backgrounds that hold the pull for me, LOL. I hope this little setback doesn't last all winter, but for now, I am just kind of resting, in my own little corner, on my own little couch. 

Peanut Butter Brittle

 

Today I made some soft peanut brittle, otherwise known as peanut butter brittle. I first had some in the Bruttles candy shop in Spokane, Washington, and have been wanting to make some ever since. I was happy with the way it turned out, and I sent some to my daughter and she gave her stamp of approval as well. I hope to be making more in the future. 

Pelicans on the Docks

 
I absolutely love the pelicans, but they are often so high in the sky or so far off shore that I can't get a good look at them. While I haven't been feeling well enough to go walking at the beach, today I did drive over to the docks in hopes of seeing a nice sunset. While the clouds were too heavy to allow the sun to do its magic, I was pleasantly surprised to find lots of pelican joining the seagulls. Very nice! 

The seagulls were a bit pesky, though, thinking they could get some of my pulled pork sandwich.